The Contract.

Annabella sat in the cold, luxurious office. Across the large, polished desk sat Andrew, his expression unreadable as he watched her. Between them lay a stack of papers, representing the contract that would bind her to him for the next year.

The contract that would save her mother's life, as Andrew leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving her.

 "This is it," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "Everything you asked for has been included. Now all you have to do is sign it".

Annabella's eyes looked at the papers in front of her. Her mind was racing with doubts and fears, but she knew she had no choice. Her mother's surgery couldn't wait, and the cost was far beyond anything she could ever afford on her own.

 But signing this contract felt like giving up a part of herself—like surrendering her freedom,future,life to a man she barely knew, a man she didn't trust.

She picked up the pen with shaking fingers, glanced at Andrew as he watched her quietly. He looked so calm, so composed, as if this were just another business transaction to him. But for her, this was so much more. This was her life.

Andrew cleared his throat and began speaking, his voice smooth . "Let's review the terms, just so we're clear."

Anna nodded, though her hands shook slightly as she clutched the pen.

 "First," Andrew began, his eyes brightened "you will marry me for a period of one year. During that time, you will be my wife in name, but our marriage will be bound by the conditions you requested."

He picked up a copy of the contract, flipping to a specific page. "You will live in my house, but we will sleep in separate rooms. There will be no physical contact unless it is agreed upon by both parties, A and B".

 She had insisted on that condition, and he had accepted it without a second thought, but the idea of living in his house, so close to him, still made her worry.

 "You will also be given a position at my company," Andrew continued, his voice steady. "It will be a symbolic role, but it will give you the appearance of independence and stability. The salary will be sufficient to cover any personal expenses you may have."

He flipped to another page. "Your mother's medical bills will be paid in full as soon as the contract is signed, and her ongoing treatment will be covered until the end of our arrangement."

Anna's heart hurt at the mention of her mother's name. That was the real reason she was doing this—to save her mother's life. But the price she was paying still felt uneasy.

Andrew's tone became louder as he moved to his own conditions.

 "In return," he said, his eyes locking on hers, "you will abide by my rules. You will attend any public events or gatherings with me as my wife. You will maintain the appearance of a perfect, loving couple in front of the world, understood".Anna nodded slowly.

 "You will not interfere with my personal life," Andrew continued, his voice colder now. "You will stay out of my way unless I ask for your presence. We are bound by this contract, but beyond that, you are free to live as you please—as long as you follow my rules and regulations ".

 She was free, but only within the limits he set. She was his wife, but only in name.

 "If you break any of the terms," Andrew said, his voice bold, "the contract is breached, and you lose everything. Your mother's medical care, your position, the money—everything, will be gone".

Anna's heart skipped a beat, She couldn't afford to break the contract, no matter what. The demands were too high. Her mother's life depended on it.

The pen in her hand felt heavy as Anna stared down at the contract. Her eyes went through over the bolded conditions. 

*Separate rooms.

*No physical contact without mutual consent.

*A position at his company.

*Medical bills fully covered.

*Appear as a perfect couple in public.

*No interference in his personal life.

It was all listed out so clearly. She had never imagined her life would come to this—trapped in a loveless, contractual marriage, all to save her mother's life, while her sister lives her own life without trouble, bondage, really hurts her.

But she couldn't turn back the hands of time. Her mother needed the surgery. This was her only option.

Anna lifted her eyes to meet Andrew's. His gaze was steady, as if he already knew what she would do.

 "You're thinking ," he said softly.

 "I'm not," she whispered, though her heart was screaming at her to run, to find another way. But there was no other way.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed the pen to the paper and signed her name with a shaky hand. 

SIGNATURE- __Annabella Rose________.

Andrew watched her in silence, his expression unreadable. When she finished, he stood up, walked around the desk, and took the contract from her hands. He looked down at the signature, then looked back at her.

"Good," he said, his voice smooth . "You've made the right decision."